Freezing of Belneftekhim assets has no link with Venezuelan project

The USA Embassy in Belarus said Washington’s resolution to freeze the assets of Belneftekhim had nothing to do with the Belarusian-Venezuelan project. “The decision to freeze the assets of Belneftekhim on the US territory is not a preventive measure against the Belarusian-Venezuelan project on oil mining in the Orinoco valley,” representatives of the Embassy remarked.

When asked who is to be affected by the sanctions – Belneftekhim as a legal entity or its subsidiaries in Russia, Ukraine, the USA, the Embassy representatives replied: “Only the American territory and citizens are under the jurisdiction of the USA.” The Belarusian radio service Radio Svaboda presents the statement of the US Embassy referring to Interfax:

The Administration of George Bush froze accounts of the Belarusian state concern Belneftelhim on Tuesday, November 13. The American authorities cited the fact that the concern is controlled by Lukashenka as the only reason. The sanctions imposed by the US Ministry of Finance touch upon all the offices of Belneftekhim in Germany, Ukraine, Latvia, Russia, and China, as well as the subsidiary of the concern Belneftekhim USA. It is known that the USA demands to stop repressions in Belarus and release political prisoners.

US deputy assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian affairs David Kramer remarked the other day: the new sanctions were induced by the refusal of the Belarusian authorities to release political prisoners.

“I am saddened to see that political prisoners were not released. Instead of that, the regime reinforced pressure on the opposition and activists of non-governmental organizations,” US deputy assistant Secretary of State said.